Task/Competency Based Training Needs Assessment

1 P 'C I I .+ +z I. lask/Comp,etency Based Gerald J. Organt General Accounting Office lraini ng Needs Assessment1 094313 The defined purpose or goal of a succesiful Training effort is not oriented at producing a "well-educated" work force. Rather, the proper role of Training ' is to assist in providing a competent work'-force by satisfying job-specific Needs . There is no justification for expenditures on Training programs that do not increase the efficiency and/or effectiveness of the workforce. words, Training should not be an end in itself, but a service that enables indi- vidual employees to make greater contributions in their various missions.

2 Training must be directed at specific individual and organizational Needs . Such Training Needs analysis is a function recognized as an integral part of any we1 1-designed Training program by Training theorists and academicians (Moore, 1978). effectively, one must first determine the location, scope, and magnitude of the Training need. lhis is the basic purpose of Training Needs Assessment (TNA). In spite of this, Training Needs analysis is seldom the carefully developed and systematic investigation that the professionals in the employee development field propose.

3 In other Its logic is simple. To utilize Training dollars and resources most lhere are many ways for a manager to become convinced that an adequate G' Training Needs Assessment is routinely being conducted in his organization when, Secondly, it is not at in fact, it is not. First, the existence of some Training Needs is obvious and can be accepted on the basis of common sense and reason. all difficult for someone to get opinions about needed Training . Everyone con- tacted in an organization will give some kind of response to inquiries about Training and development.

4 Expressions of " Needs " by managers, supervisors, and employees, gathered in this way tend to reflect the broad attitude that "train- ing is good," with little regard for its relationship to definitive Needs of the organization (DUEL, 1970). You may get, for example, "1 had lunch yesterday with John Spike. He tells me his unit is giving all supervisors a course in public speaking. I think all of our supervisors could use that too." It could just as well be sensitivity Training , creativity Training , speed-reading or any other fads which seem to continuously sweep across the Training scene.

5 What must be recognized is the difference between Training Needs and Training wants. It is the wants, not Needs which are generally first expressed by supervlsors and employees. Finally, the basic process for identifying Training Needs appears quite simple: Determine what is required or expected in the job. De- termine the degree to which this requirement or expectation is being met. If it is not being met, find the reasons. Then, to the extent that these reasons in- volve deficiencies in knowledges, skills or abilities in the workforce, a need has been identified which Training can probably help meet (USCSC, 1961).

6 Simplicity of this process is exceedingly deceptive because so many complex determinations, many of which are necessarily subjective, must be made. quate Training Needs Assessment must reduce this subjectivity to the extent possible by taking a formal approach. '' .- The Ade- conference of the IPMA Assessment Council; San Diego, 710239 J .- a That which follows is Based on the efforts of a task force to conduct the type to Training Needs assessments suggested as necessary by the preceeding comments for the program audit function of the General Accounting Office.

7 Model And Methods The overall model adopted to guide the work of the task force is shown in Figure 1. While the scope of their assignment is encompassed, for the most part, in Phase I of this model (determining Training Needs ), the Task Force felt it important to operate within the more complete framework of a Training design system. This, it was felt, would encourage the development of data having maximum utility for effective Training design in the future. The model provides for a dual-path approach to Training Needs Assessment . One prong of this parallel analysis focuses on the job (task analysis ) and addresses the nature of the task being performed and the knowledge, skill and ability requirements for performance of that function.

8 The second thrust of the model is aimed at the workforce (population analysis ) and addresses the current state of capabilities and competencies possessed therein. It is the discrepancy between these two analyses which identifies Training Needs . That is, the "gap" between the knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform a job/task and the knowledges, skills and abilities existing in the available workforce'is what defines a Training need. This all important step of anchoring Needs Assessment to the discrepancy between competencies required for successful performance of assigned tasks and competencies possessed by the workforce relative to the tasks to be performed is all too often neglected in the typical Training Needs analysis .

9 When this is the case, time and money may be expended on Training programs that deliver or improve competencies not required by the job, or on Training individuals in ski 11 s a1 ready possessed. I To summarize, then, defining Training Needs is appropriately approached from a Task/Competency analysis perspective. That is, there are two important pieces of information which must be gathered: the required level of competency for successful task performance and workforce. defines the problem. By obtaining these two pieces of data, a discrepancy is set up which Determining Training Needs , therefore, begins with an Assessment of what tasks must be-performed to complete the Second, it requires a specification of the knowledges, skills and/or abilities (competen- cies) required if the job is to be effectively performed.

10 Determining the degree to which employees actually possess these competencies. Fourth, it requires a determiniation of the discrepancy between expectations and actual performance. Fifth, it requires decisions concerning which competencies associated with bel ow-standard performance can be improved by Training . Sixth, it requires establishing data for setting priorities and targets. requires displaying this data in a useable format. Third, it involves Seven, it ) A Model far analysis ana Deslgn of Elf ectiw instruction .. * 0 .. 0 .. 0 0.